In a new article in Medical Economics, Josh Weiner, president and CEO Solutionreach, looks at the impact COVID-19 is having on patients seeking needed care.
According the the article, "Data from several studies certainly suggests that people are putting off both appointments and emergency care. The op-ed cited data including reported cancer diagnoses being down 45 percent and heart attacks being down 38 percent." And it goes on to say, "According to a Mayo Clinic study mentioned in the article, it isn’t that people aren’t sick or injured. It is that they aren’t seeking care, and when they do seek care, they are in far worse condition. As a result, they are more likely to die from their illness. So healthcare providers need to start focusing on getting patients back in for the care they need—both urgent and preventive."
Weiner suggests that one of the keys to turning this around is good communication with patients that can help reduce fears and encourage them to get the care they need. He offers several strategies and suggestions that can be read in the full article in Medical Economics.
